[TowerTalk] Grounding Multiple Buildings

[Jim Thomson]

Date: Sat, 13 Sep 2014 18:26:13 -0700
From: Bill Turner <dezrat at outlook.com>
To: Towertalk <towertalk at contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Grounding Multiple Buildings
Message-ID: <BLU436-SMTP128B560C5A6AFC544667360C0CB0 at phx.gbl>
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On Sat, 13 Sep 2014 16:22:23 -0700, k9yc wrote:

>This afternoon, I pulled out my 2002 copy of NEC and found the section 
>applicable to what we have been discussing. I suggest that those who 
>rail at my stupidity and tell me how wrong I am do the same. 

REPLY:

Anyone who digs up an obsolete copy of something to prove that he has
the "right" to create a safety hazard has a larger problem than we can
help with here. 

73, Bill W6WRT

##  Agreed.  It baffles me why the code allowed for NO grnd conductor between building ..
back in 2010..that is fubar.  Why the 4 wire code in 2011, when everyone else had it eons b4.  

##  here we cant even buy electrical cable that does not include a ground wire.
Its been like that at least as far back as 1960, here in VE7 land. 

##  In fact, the ground wire is not included in the conductor count in any cable. 
What electricians call  2 wire, consists of  2 conductors...plus a ground. 
Whats called 3 wire cable is  3 conductors  plus the ground... 4 x wires in all.

##  I wonder if 4 wire was cable was available  to K9YC back in 2010, when
he installed his  3 wire sub feed ??   If it was,  it would have been prudent to have bought
and used it. 

##  will the electrical code allow him to install a  separate ground wire between buildings,
then REMOVE the grounded  neutral  in his sub panel ?   That would be the easy fix. 
If not, I would suggest to rip the 3 wire cable out....and do it right this time...and install
the requisite  4 wire cable.   Then the neutral in the sub panel is not grounded.   Then
all fault current flows through the grnd wire...back to the main 200A panel. 

## what you need to do is..... upgrade it such that it meets the current 2014 code. 

Jim   VE7RF